KCWC 2012

I don't know if I am mad or not but I have signed up for KCWC (Kids Clothes Week Challenge) over at Elsie Marlie. The basic premise is that you spend an hour a day making kids clothes for a week. It starts today and I think that my sewing time will have to be spent in the evening. Hopefully next week I will be able to share what I have made. I sat down last week and planned what my children need and the list includes a brithday dress for baby L and a sunbonnet in the next size up, H would like a sunbonnet too and if I get time there are a few things on my sewing wish list but we will see!

We are into the second week of school holidays and today we went to the dinosaur museum. So far we have had a nice balance between time spent at home on doing little projects (or not so little as in the case of the great bedroom shuffle that took place over the weekend) and a few local outings.

Well time to get dinner ready so that I can sew tonight

Projects from the vintage sheet stash

I love vintage bed sheets and started collecting them almost two years ago. I think I have a soft spot for them because I remember having pink floral sheets as a child (they would now be vintage if they were still around) and I thought those sheets were just so pretty. The stash is pretty sizeable now and I tell myself that I will not buy any more but then I find another and can't pass it up! I will have to start making a dent in the stash soon.

I recently finished these cushions that I made for the children's playroom. They were in fact started last year but only just got around to completing them. The designs were appliquéd from fabric scraps that I have saved from other projects over the years and actually apart from the zips and cushion inserts I didn't have to buy anything to make these (and that's good right).

The one with the curved road was inspired by one that I saw on a blog once (in the days before pinterest so I cannot remember where - sorry) and the house one was a drawing that A did last year.

A's drawing and the resulting cushion - he picked out the fabrics for this one

Both cushions are backed with pieces of vintage bed sheets (which I now realise I didn't photograph). I still need to work out how to put in zips properly.

 
The cushions were made to go onto this sweet seat that I made the cover for - from my sheet stash. It is such a cheerful piece and I love it. It makes me think that one day I will make my girls quilts from vintage sheets. I really like the simplicity of large squares (from memory 5 inches).

Too many teddys'! Friends and family love gifting my children with teddys apparently

Needle - ing

  My little H has been quite a keen observer any time I do any kind of sewing and for some time has asked to do needle-ing (that is sewing with a needle). For a tome she was happy to poke pins into a pincushion, then she progressed to threading pieces of felt onto a button that was attached to a ribbon, then sewing on some plastic canvans and her interest was still strong. So two weeks ago after a lovely morning at playgroup we called into our local craft shop to buy a hoop. H choose red - her current favourite colour - and we also (thankfully) got one for A as well to prevent arguments.

 The next day we put together this little basket with some Hessian in the hoop and some pre cut lengths of crochet cotton wound onto a card and a large blunt needle.

 H was keen to start and soon got the hang of which side she needed to poke the needle - she was repeating it to herself (very cute). I did tell her to do little steps with her needle but other than that and a bit of initial help in holding the hoop and sewing at the same time this was all her own little project.

And because baby L was asleep I got own my own hoop and we happily did some needle-ing, side by side together for about 20 minutes (which of course in the word of a three year old is a very long time).


My project is a bit of a long term one that has been on the go for over three years YIKES (on and off - well O.k more off!!) Its a quilt for A that I am hand quilting and its very nearly done. Hopefully I can share the finished quilt soon.

This was such a magical little project sharing my passion with one of my children. Hope we do more soon.

Birthday Fairy

H and I have been busy creating a gift for our little friends 3rd birthday. Once again I made a little wooden fairy and a felt teepee. This time we also made some largish fabric leaves upcycled from a pair of velour pants that meet an unfortunate fate whilst the wearer was climbing a tree!

H is increasingly interested in the sewing machine as well as any hand sewing I attempt and less easily distracted playing with the pins in the pin cushion. The leaves were a perfect project as they did not require too much concentration or accuracy and were very quick to make. In fact there was a third really large leaf that incorporated one of the original pants pockets but that was instantly whisked off by H as that pocket makes an excellent place for small felt chicks to sleep!

I think that I can now call this my official go to gift for three year old's as I have now made it three times - four if I include the set I made for H's 3rd birthday.

H wanted the fairy to have a sleep in the teepee. Sleeping must have been on her mind this day.

Happy birthday Miss B we hope that being three is a wonderful adventure

Giveaway

Just thought that it was time to give a little back to the universe and so I am hosting a giveaway on Julie's lovely blog This Cosy Life. Please head on over and have a little look around and enter for your chance to win this reversible baby bonnet made by me.

Giveaway open until Sunday 22nd July.

First stitches

I was a very proud Mama the last week because A did his first hand sewing. Well not really his first as he did make a place mat for H using shelf liner, coloured wool and a bodkin and he made a felt stocking for baby L (in preparation for Christmas!) by lacing felt .

A - circa 2010

 
But this time he sewed cotton fabric, a sharp needle and sewing cotton.

He used some scraps form a project that I was cutting out and first he made a little pillow for the fairy garden.He stuffed the pillow with cotton wool. Then he wanted to make a beanie hat for the fairy and finally he cut a blanket and then a scarf.

He managed the thread and needle so well. His level of concentration was wonderful and I absolutely loved seeing my boy experience such a sense of pride and achievement in his own handwork.

While he was sewing I taught him the following little poem (from Spindrift by Wynstones Press)

Needle bright,
Thread just right, 
Fingers quick and nimble.
Stitches fine,
In a line,
And always wear a thimble.

so pleased with himself

Apparently the fairy in our fairy garden is now very cosy and ready for Winter . . .

Just because

While I try very hard to finish a project before starting a new one (or else end up with too many UFO’s), I also like to have a few little things on the go and at different stages so that if I get a spare three minutes I can squeeze in a little handwork.

 

These little ladybugs were a ‘just because’ project. Tutorial found here. Perfect as a little project with no deadline. Perfect just because. 

 

 

H watched the entire process over the space of a few weeks and as soon as the first one was done she took it off to our little felt playscape to settle in and wait for the other one to be done.

 

Perfectly sized for H's little hands

I'm joining up with Nicole on Frontier Dreams for Crafting On.  Please check out her wonderful blog!

Baby's sun bonnet

Here is a little sun bonnet that I made for Baby L. It strikes me as ironic is that I am getting the time to put it up here in a week that seems will be full of rain (and the last day of summer). I worried whilst pregnant about having a baby in summer and how we would cope with the heat! As it turns out we have had a very mild summer punctuated by lots of storms and rain – our lawn didn’t even turn brown.

Anyway back to the bonnet, it was made almost entirely from supplies I already had (the only thing that I had to purchase was the interfacing for the brim). I used my favourite Bali Batik on the outside and a blue floral for the inside. The pattern was from here and I would highly recommend it. I changed it by omitting the ribbon ties and putting a button and elastic loop closure, as this seamed more practical than trying to tie ribbons on my beautifully chubby girl.

I think that bonnets look so awesomely sweet on babies and I am planning on making Baby L a cool weather version maybe with wool or corduroy for the outer.  Still deciding if i will use the same pattern as her summer on or maybe try this one.

Does a brand new baby need Christmas presents?

Baby L was 13 days young on Christmas Day. I hadn't organised any gifts for her because really what does one need at 13 days? But then I started to worry that we may set a pattern of combining her birthday with Christmas and that is something that her Dadda and I are very mindful of as a fellow December babies.

I tried to think what I could possibly go and buy but nothing really struck me and then I woke up on Christmas Eve with a plan to make her a little something.

When A and H were babies I made them both 'taggies' and so that's what I went with for Baby L. The ones for A and H however were square and this time I did something different. I had seen this idea on Pinterest almost 12 months ago and decided to go with it. Luckily I had all the necessary supplies in my craft room so spent a lovely little bit of time on Christmas Eve sewing.

A and H watched with interest ti see want Mama was making for Baby L but were lured out to play on the swings before I was done, and on Christmas Day they were thrilled with the result. Hopefully Baby L loves it too!